Otto Meier Jr. records and papers, 1931-1979

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Access restricted. Some materials in this collection include student records. In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke University permits students to...
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Summary

Creator:
Meier, Otto, Jr., 1908-1979
Abstract:
Otto Meier, Jr. taught at Duke University from 1934 to 1975. Meier's specialties were electrical machinery and control, illumination, explosives, nucleonics, and experimental nuclear physics. Meier was also a consultant engineer with the Triangle Universities Nuclear Lab and helped to plan the facility. The collection contains correspondence; lecture and course notes; photographic material; reports; faculty council records; conference papers; and other materials pertaining to professional and student organizations, regional utilities, the School of Engineering, and the domestic use of nuclear power.
Extent:
22.5 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials are in English.
Collection ID:
UA.29.02.0062
University Archives Record Group:
29 -- Papers of Faculty, Staff, and Associates
29 -- Papers of Faculty, Staff, and Associates > 02 -- Individuals

Background

Scope and content:

This collection largely consists of materials related to Meier's time at Duke and his work with professional and academic organizations. Includes Meier's Ph.D. thesis; course notes and lectures; materials for high school visits; correspondence, minutes, and reports from Meier's committee work at Duke including his time served on the Academic Council and the University Faculty Council; minutes and papers from the School of Engineering, formerly known as the College Engineering; curriculum materials, minutes, and status reports for the Department of Electrical Engineering. The collection contains materials related to professional and academic organizations Meier was involved with such as the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Duke University chapter of Tau Beta Pi, and Durham Engineers Club. Also includes addresses and papers given by others at various engineering conferences, largely the Southeastern Electric Exchange. Photographic materials consist of negatives, slides (glass and plastic film), and prints. Includes images of engineering students, diagrams, lab equipment, and the installation of the Van de Graaff Accelerator in the nuclear facility of the Physics Department. Some of the glass slides are cracked, chipped, or broken.

Biographical / historical:

Born November 7, 1908, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Otto Meier, Jr., was educated at the University of Pennsylvania (B.S., 1929; Electrical Engineering, 1937; Ph.D., 1957) and at the University of Michigan (M.S., 1938). Meier was a technical observer with the Geophysical Research Corporation in N.Y. (1929-1930), and then worked as a private consultant with C.D. Fawcett, Electrical Engineering, in Philadelphia (1930-1934).

Meier came to Duke University in 1934 as an instructor (1934-1938) in electrical engineering and taught as an assistant professor (1938-1945), associate professor (1945-1957), and professor (1957-1975). Meier's specialties were electrical machinery and control, illumination, explosives, nucleonics, and experimental nuclear physics.

In addition to teaching, Meier filled many administrative posts at Duke University. He was Chairman of the Schedule and Registration Committee of the College of Engineering (1947-1948), President of the Duke Faculty Club (1948-1949), Acting Chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department (1950), Director of Undergraduate Studies in Electrical Engineering (1961-1966; 1968-1970), Director of Graduate Studies in Electrical Engineering (1966-1968), Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in Electrical Engineering (1970-1971), Assistant Dean of Engineering (1971-1974), and University Marshal (1971-1974). Meier was also a representative for Duke University's Admissions Office at various high schools in the region.

As a consultant and researcher, Meier worked with the Engineering Corps of the U.S. Army (1941), the Explosives Division of the U.S. Naval Ordnance Lab (1949), and the Oak Ridge National Lab (1950). Beginning in 1950, Meier was an engineering consultant and researcher with the Nuclear Structure Lab at Duke, and consultant engineer with the Triangle Universities Nuclear Lab. Meier played an active role in the planning of the facility during its construction.

Meier belonged to numerous professional engineering and scientific organizations. He was active in the N.C. section of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the Durham Engineers Club, and the Duke chapters of Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi.

Otto Meier was married in 1935 and had three sons. He died in 1979.

Acquisition information:
The Otto Meier, Jr. records and papers was received by the University Archives as a transfer in 1980 (A80-223), 1981 (A81-19), 1984, and 1985 (A85-123).
Processing information:

Processed by Linda Daniel

Completed February, 2004

Encoded by Linda Daniel, February 2004

Materials with metal binders will need to be processed before use. Please consult University Archives staff.

Revision and rehousing of Photographic Materials, Papers and Articles, and revision of scope and contents note by April Blevins, January 2026

Arrangement:

The Otto Meier, Jr. records and papers are arranged in eight series: Personal and biographical files; General subject files; Duke University; School of Engineering; Organizations; Papers and articles; Photographic materials; and Tau Beta Pi.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

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Restrictions:

Access restricted. Some materials in this collection include student records. In accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, Duke University permits students to inspect their education records and limits the disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records. Contact Research Services for more information.

Access note. Some materials in this collection are fragile and may require extra assistance from staff. Because of their vulnerability to breakage, glass slides are restricted. Contact Research Services for access.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Otto Meier, Jr. records and papers, Duke University Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.

Permalink:
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1sx3v